The first thing people ask me about Marvel Studios’ Eternals is “How was it?” For me, the short answer is that yes, Marvel’s Eternals is a very good and fun film. It is smart, emotional, and has beautiful storytelling. The more complex answer is that Eternals is great, but it is very different from what Marvel fans are used to. And if you are the type of fan who doesn’t enjoy changes to the Marvel formula, Eternals may take some getting used to.
Eternals is ensemble storytelling
The biggest difference in the storytelling of Eternals is that we are dealing with a large ensemble cast. Most Marvel films deal with a titular character who is on his own journey, like in Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, etc. Those characters eventually star together in an ensemble film like Avengers. However, before they are a team, we learn about who they are as individuals. With the Eternals, that is not the case. We met our heroes already as a team. To be frank, they are more like a family. So right away, this is going to be a different dynamic for fans.
The Eternals are a race of immortal aliens from the distant planet Olympia who arrived on Earth to protect humanity from a race of alien predators called the Deviants. They arrived together, and we are meeting these characters as a unit. They are a diverse and powerful group, with some great thinkers and some great fighters. These beings share the same cosmic energy, which manifests itself into different powers within each individual. Jack Kirby’s original Eternals Marvel comic books, published in 1976, provided the inspiration for the film.
Eternals takes place in different eras
The next thing that makes Eternals different, and also great, is that this film takes place throughout history. You are seeing two timelines, with events happening in both present-day but also throughout the centuries. Again, different from the way Marvel storytelling usually goes, but very fascinating. Although we are familiar with films set in different eras like Captain Marvel or Captain America: The First Avenger, we don’t typically see things happening in two timelines in one film. If you are a history fan or someone who enjoys time travel storytelling, then this is probably something you would like.
Diverse casting and unexpected leaders
The Celestials and the Eternals themselves wanted to recruit a group of people who could integrate themselves into the Earth. This is why having a highly diverse cast was so important for this film.
Iron Man was an unlikely leader because he was a flamboyant playboy who was blessed with immeasurable intelligence and talent, audiences didn’t doubt that he could be a leader or a hero. In Eternals, there is some question as to who should lead, why they should lead, and what ultimately makes a hero. It explorers a deeper side of why people fight for their causes and what makes a cause worthy of that fight. It’s a fascinating look into the thought processes of these heroes. Also, we get insight into their motivation in a way that we haven’t necessarily seen in other Marvel movies.
Another interesting thing about this diverse casting is also the diversity in its locations and settings. With the majority of Marvel films taking place in the United States, it was nice to see so many different landscapes represented. The story spans over 7,000 years on Earth and in space. Director Chloé Zhao, -who is a Chinese filmmaker known for her Academy Award®–winning film “Nomadland” – employs a naturalistic style of location-based filmmaking, so she wanted the filming to take place at practical locations, as much as was feasibly possible. As a result, the film’s locations included multiple environments.
“To tell this story, we needed to capture both the epic and the intimate and visually bring these elements together,” explains Zhao. “We shot mainly on location. We used wide-angle spherical lenses and deep focus in order to explore the relationship between the characters and the world they live in. When you watch Sersi walking through a village in ancient Babylon, it’s no different than watching Fern walking through a present-day nomadic camp in ‘Nomadland.’”
She continues, “The movements of the camera, the wide-angle lenses, and the deep focus allow audiences to explore the world within the frames and to make discoveries themselves. The visual experience of this film must feel immersive and interactive enough for audiences to believe that these characters have walked the earth for 7000 years. It’s not possible to do that on a stage.”
Eternals explorers the idea of Love
One thing that is always implied in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but rarely outright said, is the idea of love. We as the audience understand that Steve Rogers loves Peggy Carter. We get that Thor loves humanity and is willing to protect it. We understand that everything Tony Stark does and sacrifices ultimately comes from a love for his team, humanity, and so on. But again, none of this is said outright. In Eternals, love is the center of everything. It is seen and expressed romantically, in family settings, in friendship, and in religious devotion.
It is very clearly seen and discussed. One of the things that surprised me the most about this film was how emotional it was. MCU films can always invoke emotions from fans. However, this emotion felt different. It was relatable, human, and honest. Seeing these emotions played out and be clarified by the characters was beautiful.
What to know about the Eternals before seeing the film
The 10 Eternals are played by a diverse group of actors who really seemed perfectly suited for their roles.
- Gemma Chan plays Sersi, a humankind-loving Eternal who lives in London and works at the Natural History Museum.
- Richard Madden is Ikaris, a strong, serious, mission-centered Eternal with great
strength. - Salma Hayek portrays Ajak, the matriarch of the Eternals.
- Angelina Jolie takes the role of Thena, a powerful fighter and warrior.
- Barry Keoghan plays Druig, an intense Eternal who has the power to control minds.
- Kumail Nanjiani is Kingo, an outgoing Eternal with attitude and flair.
- Brian Tyree Henry steps into the role of Phastos, a master inventor and technopath.
- Don Lee (Ma Dong-Seok) plays the kind Gilgamesh, who possesses great strength but is a fun-loving soul.
- Lauren Ridloff takes on Makkari, who is the fastest woman in the universe.
- Lia McHugh plays Sprite, who despite being thousands of years old, exists through
time as a 12-year-old girl. - Representing humanity, Kit Harington plays Dane Whitman, who is not an Eternal but has a special connection with Sersi.
Overall
Overall, it was beautiful storytelling from director Chloé Zhao. The film pulled at your heartstrings and the onscreen relationships, whether romantic, hostile, friendship, or family felt authentic and real. The action is on par with all other Marvel films, and it is cinematically beautiful. The cast was incredibly chosen.
Marvel Studio’s Eternals releases in theaters to general audiences on November 5th.
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